Windy Skies
by kurogamo
Summary: Final chapterCan a giant fanswinging tomboy and a shogiplaying cloudwatcher come together? We shall see. A little spoiling in parts. [ShikamaruxTemari]
1. Cold Tea

**Title:** Windy Skies

**Pairing:** ShikamaruxTemari

**Notes:** I never thought I would write a fanfic about these two, but they are my absolute favorite (hetero) pairing in the series. Love these guys! Their chemistry is just really nice so, should make for a fairly interesting story.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto (unfortunately) and parts used from the manga are Kishimoto's ideas soley. I hope I don't get in trouble for sort of using them.

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**CHAPTER 1:** Cold Tea 

Shikamaru swallowed the lump in his throat, his body tense with nervous anxiety. His body rocked back and forth slightly, his eyes unfocused and distant. His clasped fingers tightened around each other every once in awhile before relaxing, but then the process would continue again. His lips were tight, brow creased with wrinkle lines.

"Stop that. You look like an old man." Temari stared down at him, frowning as he didn't seem to hear her at all. "Shikamaru!"

The boy jarred in surprise, quickly saving face by donning his usual bored and annoyed expression, covering the obvious worry. "You don't have to be so loud."

Temari half expected him to mutter something about how troublesome it was. That seemed to be his favorite word. She smiled in amusement and handed him a cup of tea.

"Here, you look like you need it."

He stared at the foam cup awhile before taking it slowly. He sat back in his seat, holding the cup on his lap with both hands, still staring at the steam floating up from the earth-toned liquid. "…Thanks."

She smiled again, taking a seat beside him. He was still polite even in this situation. His best friend and a fellow team member in critical condition…it wasn't clear yet whether either would live. The responsibility of those lives had been put on his shoulders, and this is what happened. His very first mission. Temari glanced over at him. The same deeply concerned look had come back. He hadn't touched his tea.

"I'm sure they'll be fine. You did the best you could given the circumstances." Her other team members had left for home as soon as their payment was received. She wasn't sure why she had decided to stay, but she didn't regret her decision.

The corners of Shikamaru's mouth turned up a brief moment before falling again. He knew she was trying to cheer him up, but there was no way that could happen unless his friends were assuredly going to be well. The steam from the cup had stopped rising, less warmth emitting from around its form. He frowned even more before lifting the tea to his lips, the lukewarm taste none too pleasant but she had gone through the trouble.

Temari raised a brow. It had been a good 10 minutes since she handed him that cup, plus the five it took to return from the shop she'd bought it from. It had to be cold. "Are you sure you want that?"

He held up his hand for her to wait, still taking a long sip before settling the bottom of the cup on his thigh. "It's fine. I wouldn't be a very nice guy if I didn't drink it. I'd like to keep my reputation."

Temari chuckled, standing up slowly. "You don't want cold tea. I'll buy you another cup."

"No, its fine. That would be too troublesome." He glanced up at her before taking another gulp. The brief look on his face told her it wasn't pleasant but he was bearing it anyway.

She sat down again, shoulders hunched and fingers pressed between her thighs and the seat. It was incredibly quiet in this wing of the hospital. All except for the general whirring noise of machinery. The walls and ceiling were a pristine white, a few florescent fixtures patterned above. The floor was off-white tile, but waxed and cleaned so well it gave off a near mirror reflection. Even the chairs they sat on were vaguely comfortable, thin cushions providing some median between the cold plastic of the seat itself and their bodies. There was no real smell. None that could be described. It was the smell of most medical facilities with the occasional odd chemical scent. It was obvious Konoha cared greatly for their ninja. She was a little envious.

"Thank you." She turned around, looking a bit bewildered.

"Huh?"

"Thank you for back there." He looked over at her with a small smirk. She felt her palms get sweaty. "I sometimes forget the best action is to just take action."

"Oh…it was nothing." She shot him a grin. "You shouldn't try to plan everything when there's no time for it. You're vulnerable that way because your attention isn't focused around you."

Shikamaru snuffed, looking away and sinking back into his thoughts. Temari's gaze lingered a second more before she looked down at her lap, not able to think of anything but the bags under his eyes, the tiny scars and scratches he hadn't bothered to cover, and the exhausted look of his body.

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Well reviews would be nice. :3 Chapter 2 is on the way! 


	2. Relief and Return

**Notes:** This chapter isn't all that creative but I feel likeits important.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto is Kishimoto's creationbut iborrowed a little from his story. (Shhhhh)

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**CHAPTER 2:** Relief and Return 

"Well, after long, laborious hours, I am finally finished." Tsunade looked over at Shikamaru, who stood between his father and Temari. His back was turned, but she saw his body tense at the sound of her weary voice.

Temari eyed the elder woman, waiting anxiously to hear the news. After staying with Shikamaru for hours and hours, his nervousness had rubbed off on her somewhat. Tsunade watched him in silence for a good 30 seconds before speaking again.

"Choji will be fine. He won't be able to get out of bed for a few months, but he will live."

Shikamaru's shoulders relaxed a good deal but there was some reluctance. The opposite door opened, godaime's assistant coming through. She looked just as worn but there was a smile on her lips. "Hyuuga Neji is stable. He'll be just fine."

His shoulders fell completely. His father glanced over at him without turning his head. Temari's face brightened and she turned her head, looking at his back. It was trembling. She heard a sniff and a relieved sigh that quivered slightly. Her eyes lowered to the floor, two wet spots had fallen near his feet. She didn't look up again. She had no idea he had been that scared of loosing his friends.

-

"I should go back now…my team might worry." Temari knew this not to be the case, but she needed some excuse to make herself go back. Hidden Leaf was much friendlier than Hidden Sand, but at the same time, she wasn't home. She smiled over at Shikamaru. "I'm glad your friends are alright."

Shikamaru nodded, faintly smiling in return. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, body in a slouched position, a typical lazy stance except he looked as if he would drop any moment from exhaustion. He needed as much rest as his injured teammates. "Thanks again. To the Sand…"

She grinned, unstrapping her fan from her back and pointed it at him. His eyes widened a little in question.

"Whenever you guys need someone to save your ass, send for us." With that, she strapped her fan back on and headed out past the large gate and sped off into the woods.

Shikamaru stared after her a long while, his face slowly sinking into a mixed frowning, annoyed and bored expression.

"Tch, girls are so troublesome..."

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Thanks to all my reviewers so far! I couldn't resist to update ASAP. So there will be a nice surge of new chapters for a little while. Chapter 3 I will post in a day or two. Maybe sooner if I get enough reviewers saying they like this story XD. So! Thanks so much again, and I hope it doesn't get too uninteresting for you! Keep writing those reviews! 


	3. Home Sweet Home

**Notes:** Ah chapter 3! I'm proud of myself for getting this far X3.It gets a little slow from herefor a bit,but the pace will pick up soon. Hope you're enjoying it so far.

**Disclaimer:** Naruto (c) Kishimoto, story is mine though.

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**CHAPTER 3:** Home Sweet Home

"What took you so long Temari" Kankuro watched the blonde girl enter the small apartment, a suspicious look in his eyes. She only glanced at him a second.

"Where's Gaara?"

"Off somewhere. He's been restless because of you." Her teammate had an annoyed tone in his voice, but Temari brushed it off. She could lick Kankuro anytime, but if Gaarawas upset at her, that was a diferent story.

"Sorry. I had some extra business in Konoha that kept me away longer than I expected." She turned to look at Kankuro's displeased expression. His face wasn't as frightening when it wasn't covered with marks. Temari returned his glare, snapping at him. "Look, I'm tired. Don't give me this crap right now.The only exception to this is if Gaara wants to see me."

She slid her door closed with a sharp crack. Inhale. Exhale. She was home, or what you could call a home. Her room was a bit sparse, but living in Hidden Sand, the more things you owned, the more sand particles you had to clean out of your belongings. The overall color scheme was a sort of tan, brown and gray. It wasbland, but it wasn't like she had the time to decorate. A small cabinet with simple basic jutsu scrolls and other miscellaneous bits of writing was tucked neatly at one wall, a map of Hidden Sand pinned above it. The wall to the right of that was the door; to the left, was her bed and a small set of drawers where she kept extra clothes. A closet was on the next wall which sat a few feet from a small window that always stayed closed. A small clay lamp sat on top of her drawers beside her bed. A tan, woven mat covered the floor but was littered with little pieces of grain. That was impossible to get away from.

Slipping out of her sandals and discarding her fan near her door, Temari walked forward and fell face first on her bed. It had been a long...how many days? They had melted into each other, no clear border from one to the other. Her bed sheets smelled dusty. With a groan she turned over onto her back, staring at the pastel stain of her ceiling.

The mission had been successful. That's what mattered. It was a plusthat they didn't have to search too hard, andin such a high-level situation, everyone had come out alive. That was rare. Her body felt weighty, grounded against the mattress as if she would sink into it and through the floor. A yawn escaped her and her eyelids began to droop, the ceiling slowly fading out to dark.

-

The breeze was a little chilly, the sun almost gone. Shikamaru was still laying on his back, watching the darkening sky. The purple hued monuments floated lethargically, orange and yellow highlights along parts of their bumpy planes. The far western sky was still bright, a flaming orange glow suffocated by the deep azure of evening. It felt like it had been months since he last watched the clouds. Goosebumps raised over his arms, but he didn't want to move. A day like this would be rare. How much time did any of them really have?

He made a face, sitting up slowly. Thinking about pessimistic things like that wasn't good. Not at a time like this. Groaning, he got to his feet with a sigh, putting his palms against the base of his back as he arched in a stretch. There had been too many depressing situations lately, now all resolved, but it bothered him still. What he could have lost...

_"You did the best you could given the circumstances."_

He smirked. Temari was a strong, dangerous, clever, boyish girl. That wasn't uncommon around aggressive female to Tayuya, she'd bethe perfect embodiment of femininity. He half-chuckled, trying to imagine the girl from Sand as such,but itwas too impossible to imagine. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he began to walk back home.

She had stayed with him, though. He paused in his steps. She could have left with her team days before, but she chose not to. Was she concerned about his friends? His brow furrowed as he tried totheorize on a reason. Nothing seemed to logically fit her persona other thanmaybe she felt it was part of the mission. She had already been paid in full by that point, but perhaps she was somehow...sympathetic?

He shook his head. Trying to figure outthis girl was way too complicated and headache inducing. Especially since she was a tomboy. Brash one minute,willowy the next. It didn't make any sense to him.

-

"Shikamaru! Honestly, staying out all day long without coming home! Not even for meals! What's wrong with you! Why would you make me worry so much"

He stared at his mother with a peculiar expression, wondering in the back of his head why he hadn't opted to stay at Choji's house. Their friendship was tight enough that their two households treated each other like family.

"Don't you have anything to say"

"Youshouldn't yellout the door." Shikamaru raised a brow, hearing his father's voice. Rarely did he bother to make a comment.

"Don't tell me to be quiet! It's your lazy son who hasn't come home until now! How could you make me worry so much after what happened" He could see her eyes beginning to water. Ho boy, here it comes...

"Oh! My baby!" His mother threw her arms around him, squeezing so tightly, hethought his blood circulation was cut off. Hisirrate expression grew even more exaggerated, but dare he try to resist, it would only make things worse.

"I couldn't bear it if you had turned out like the Akimichi's boy! Oh my, we must send them flowers or something. Yes yes, something very nice but not too forward, but..." Shikamaru waited until she got so carried away with herthoughtsthat she let go of him and he walked inside, watching herbabble offto another part of the house.

He found his father at the dining table, eating his dinner slow as usual. Shikamaru took a seat, staring at him with a frown. After a good two minutes, his father glanced up from his meal.

"What"

"...How could you marry a woman like that" Shikamaru often asked this question. He never understood why a man like his father and a woman like his mother could be attracted to each other and even finding themselves compatible enough to wed. He waited another three or four minutes, listening to the slow munching of food and a few thoughtful groans.

"I've told you before, she has her good points." He scooped another portionof food into his mouth.

Shikamaru just stared at him. "What kind of reasoning is that" He was given a grunt in response, and dropped the subject.

The next moment his mother entered with a smile, wiping her hands off on her apron. "Shikamaru? You're obviously hungry. What would you like"

He raised a brow at her sudden mood shift. Mothers were the most troublesome of all.

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Wooow so many reviews! Thanks a lot everyone X33. I'm glad people like this pairing! There are hardly any stories with these two. So yes! I will keep writing, and you keep reviewing! XD 


	4. Limit to a Bond

**Notes:** Yaay Chapter 4! This is the longest story I've ever written. Usually they're rather short, so I don't have but one chapter. I didn't think a one-shot was good for this coupling though :3. So yes! On to chapter 4!

**Disclaimer:** You guys should know this by now but Naruto (c) Kishimoto.

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**CHAPTER 4:** Limit to a Bond 

Temari cracked open her eyes. The muddy blur of tan shades focused into the familiar scheme of her room from where she lay. Sitting up slowly, she stretched looking over at the window. It was mid-morning. If anyone had knocked on her door, she definitely hadn't heard it.

She looked down at her clothes, a bit wrinkled from sleeping. Sliding to the side of her bed, she opened the top drawer and took out her bathing robe. It'd been a little while since she had a chance to clean thoroughly. Missions allowed little time for proper hygiene, but at the same time, if your life was in danger, the last thing you thought about was a bar of soap.

She slid open her door, peeking out into the small apartment. It was even more bare than her own room, only holding the bare essentials. She hated it, but Hidden Sand had a different set of priorities than other more peaceful villages. Crossing the main living area, which only consisted of enough chairs for each of them and a worn couch, Temari opened the door to the bathroom and locked it shut behind her. This was the only room that didn't have a dirty look to it. She had made sure things were kept clean in here, complaining often to the boys if it wasn't. It looked like the typical bathroom, a shower stall in the back, a sink near the door and the toilet somehow squeezed in the middle, in a tiny compartment space.

She took a deep breath, setting the robe aside and pulling her hair out of their double ponytails one by one. The sandy blonde locks fell forward, brushing against her cheeks and barely touching her shoulders. She never liked her hair this way. It was an annoyance on the mission field for one, and it made her face a little more girly than she preferred too. Still, she picked up her brush from next to the sink and ran it through. Would Shikamaru like it this way?

She stopped. Her hand froze mid-stroke and her eyes looked incredulous. What kind of random, idle thought was that! Why should she care what he thought? Why had she stayed...?

"Oh God..." Temari crouched to the cool tiles below her feet, holding her head. "...I can't believe it. I'm crushing on that bum"

It felt so nice to be completely clean. Her hair was still damp, a drip or two making wet spots on her robe. Carrying her dirty clothes bundled in her arms, she walked across the living area again before the sound of another door opening made her turn around.

Kankuro was yawning as he walked out of his room and groggily eyed Temari.

"You're just getting up? Tch, you're getting sluggish, Kankuro." She smirked at him while he glared back at her.

"You've got no room to talk, Temari. What's with you staying in Konoha so long? We got paid days before now, and you just got back." He was eyeing her suspiciously while still looking groggy.

"Very attractive, beady-eyes." She snickered, opening the door to her room before she was stopped.

"Gaara wants to speak to you. You better see him after you're decent." She closed the door.

It was easy to fool Kankuro, but Gaara would see right through her. She was sure she didn't want him to find out about her new dilemma. Gaara was clingy, not very forgiving if crossed, and easily angered unless you knew how to handle him. She groaned, pulling out a few simple clothes to get dressed in and slipped the robe off her shoulders. He wouldn't understand her. He was incapable of understanding a girl's feelings. He barely understood his own. Temari had hoped to postpone this talk for awhile, but no such luck.

She opened the door to her closet, looking in the narrow mirror framed by the inside of the wooden door. Her eyes still looked tired. Did he still have those bags under his eyes...? She quickly smacked her forehead.

"Snap out of it Temari..." How was she going to face Gaara with thoughts like that? Sighing, she closed the door and headed towards Gaara's room.

The sound of the shower was running as she knocked lightly on Gaara's door.

"Enter." His voice sounded a little angry, but maybe that was just her. She slowly slid open the door, opening it only enough to pass through before closing it silently behind her. Gaara's room was a mystery to her. She had only been inside of it once or twice before. He disliked bright light, preferring to keep a shade over his window so the whole room had a dank sort of atmosphere. She swallowed, walking slowly towards his bedside where he sat watching nothing in particular.

"Where were you?"

"Konoha." She kept her answers short. It was easier this way.

"Why?"

"I had unfinished business."

"Of what kind?" Temari hesitated to respond to that, Gaara's head turning slightly towards her.

"Answer me, Temari."

"It was just something small. Nothing to worry about."

He stayed silent for a moment then turned his head completely forward again. Silence was not good. It meant he was thinking rather deeply about what little information he'd received.

"Were you paid for it?"

"What? It wasn't that kind of business."

"What kind was it?"

"Why do you ask so many questions, Gaara? I already told you it was something small, insignificant. You don't need to worry about it." She was getting annoyed with this. There was no way she was going to tell him the whole truth.

"Temari" Gaara turned to look at her directly, not a comfortable thing. She hated his gaze sometimes. The deadly look in his eyes, but sometimes there was fear. In this case, it was just curiosity and maybe concern. "you don't want to tell me."

There was no other answer to that. Unlike hiding parts of the truth, lying to Gaara was not an option. She was trusted, Kankuro was trusted. No one else could get close to him, not without a lot of pain in the process.

"...I can't."

"Why not? Don't you trust me, Temari?" She looked away from his eyes, not answering. She trusted him, but she didn't trust his temper.

"I understand." He turned away from her, staring blankly. She wanted to leave, run out of that apartment so fast and not return for hours. Unconsciously, she took a step back from him. "Are you afraid now? After all this time, are you still afraid"

"Gaara, stop it." Temari stared at him. "No, I'm not afraid of you. But I don't think you need to know about everything in my life, so stop asking" She held her breath. Yelling was a bad idea with him. She'd lost her cool a moment.

"...I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. I've made you upset."

She glanced back at the door, listening. The sound of water had stopped. She came forward, sitting on the edge of the bed behind Gaara and hugged him.

"Are you worried about me disappearing one day? Don't worry, I'll be here for you, Gaara." She could feel his body stiffen at the touch but after a moment, he leaned back into it just slightly. He was more fragile than people imagined. She smiled a little and let go of him, standing to her feet.

"Temari." She looked down at him, his face turned away. "...promise."

She frowned slightly. Assuredly, she would come when he needed her, but to always be at his side...she wanted her own life too. Gaara would have to understand that someday.

"I can't do that, Gaara...I'm sorry." With that, she left rather quickly from his room, thankful for the silence left behind her.

Opening the door, she spotted Kankuro right beside it, staring hard at her. She closed Gaara's door before acknowledging him.

"Do you always have to eavesdrop?"

"What are you planning?" Temari looked at him quizzically.

"Don't play dumb with me. You could have made that promise, but there's something else, isn't there?"

Now it was Kankuro's turn to question her! Slowly but surely, this was pissing her off.

"Why are you so nosy? Go play with your dolls or something." Her eyes were narrowed at him as she walked away towards her room. She needed time to herself.

"You're hiding something. You've always told Gaara exactly what happens." That plucked her last bit of patience.

"Will you just leave me alone! Am I not allowed to have a personal life! I don't have to say anything to you! I'm not going to say anything!"

Temari slammed her door closed with a sharp crack, locking it and squeezed her eyes shut. Why did they have to know everything? She growled in frustration, opening her eyes and moving away from her door to her window. Kankuro could stay in the dark for all she cared, but she was more concerned about hurting Gaara..and what he would do with in that hurt state. His silence was not a comforting one.

She sighed deeply, wondering if it had been a bad idea to come back...

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Woo hoo! Another chapter successfully done.Sorry my update wasn't as quick as the first 3 but those were previously written all at the same time, I just wanted to release them at separate times XD. The next couple chapters will probably be a little slower unless you want me to just work all the way to the end, and post them in quick updates. Gimme feedback on this! Now to address some reviews that have been made: 

chibi-viki: Aaaah really? ;; I was trying so hard to keep her IC. Oh well, guess I slipped.

gargoylesama: And there is plenty more to come X3. And yes, while Shikamaru is a genius at strategy, I don't think he's quite got this one figured out. XD

Max Knight: Awww really too kind. And no worries! I'm liking where this story is going, so I'll be sure to keep it up!

Well that's it for now. Thanks to all my reviewers! Really, I appreciate the commentary sooooooo much. It means tons to me X3


	5. Target

**Note:** Ah chapter 5. It gets interesting now. XD Sorry about the shortness!

**Disclaimer:** Naruto (c) Kishimoto

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**CHAPTER 5:** Target 

A cool, night wind blew across the sands, sending small dust storms into the streets. The sky was completely dark, minus a few sprinkles of stars. The whole village was silent, most fast asleep without the slightest inkling as to what was milling in the mind of one deranged young boy.

Gaara sat perfectly still at the edge of his bed. It was pointless for him to have such a thing. Sleeping would allow the raccoon demon to take over, but staying awake left him to his thoughts. Temari. She had never spoken to him that way before. She had never hid anything from him before. His eyes narrowed. What was she hiding?

He thought over this repeatedly, crossing his arms as he was becoming annoyed with the amount of loose ends her answers had left. Who was she with? Kankuro had gone after the dog kid, he had helped Lee against Kimimaro. That left four possibilities. Two of the party had fallen. Two possibilities. She would never put up with Naruto for that long. One. His eyes shot up suddenly and he stood slowly from his bed.

It took only a minute or so before Gaara's door opened. His steps were silent as he walked to the entry way and paused.

"Temari...you will make your promise."

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Dun dun duuuuuuun. Dramatic, I know. So I shall take this time to address more reviews I've received that haven't beendonebefore. I'm sorry if there are some repeats(didn't really keeptrack oflast time ;;). 

Chronic-fever: Glad you like it. As I am annoyed with writers who update their stories monthly and sometimes much longer, I wanted to be a little better with keeping my story up-to-date.

Esther: XD Well, this is Chapter 5 now and I really can't stop when its getting good.

Anonymous: Waaaah! I read it! So cuuute. "So are you on a date?" "It's nothing like that." Suuuure Shikamaru, suuuure. Hehehe. And thanks, I hope I am on the right path. Otherwise...well no one would be reading this.

Cyberwing: Sankyu! I shall update as often as possible.

Allyluv: Ditto!

Nonengel: Yeah I wanted there to be some clinginess. She seems like she'd be a big sister for him or something, so...that's the path I took.

Alright everyone, thanks muchly for the reviews thus far! I'm hoping to get tons more! Keep 'em comin'!


	6. Hidden Confession

**Notes**: First! So sorrythis update wasn't as quickas the others! Homework does get in the way. Second, because of that, the flow in this chapter isn't as nice as the others since I really got away from it, but I didn't want to leave the fic unfinished and I did promise I would, so here we go! The finally chapter! Hope you enjoy it anyway and very sorry again for the wait! ;

(-) scene change

**Disclaimer**: Naruto (c) Kishimoto.

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**CHAPTER 6: **Hidden Confession 

They traveled as quickly as possible, Temari in the lead. Her face was fixed in a worried and angry expression throughout the entire journey and Kankuro just tried to keep up with her pace. They hadn't taken a rest at all and he was starting to feel that.

"Temari."

"Shut up, we're going to keep going until we get there." Kankuro grimaced. He understood the urgency of reaching Konoha quickly (Gaara being unpredictable and all), but without taking a break, even for 5 minutes, they'd be too exhausted when they arrived to do anything about Gaara.

"Temari, we have to stop. Just for a minute at least!" She stopped at the next branch, turning and leaning up against the trunk of the tree.

"One minute."

Kankuro stopped a branch over from her, panting. He glared over at her to notice she was as winded as he was. A corner of his mouth upturned.

"You're just as tired."

"So what...?" She closed her eyes, resting her head against the tree.

"We shouldn't push ourselves too much. There'll be no point in us getting there early just to fall over."

She opened her eyes again, staring up through the branches. He was right, but she couldn't help it. What if Gaara already made a move?

"And anyway...how do you know he's in Konoha?" That part had never been explained. They'd awakened a morning two days ago to notice Gaara was gone. Somehow, Temari knew where he had gone, even though there had been no clues or anything. The look in her eyes had told him not to complain.

"I just...know. Don't ask about that right now. We're already too far to go back." Temari pushed herself forward from the trunk, and looked back at him.

"Let's go."

(-)

Shikamaru closed his eyes, sighing. This was troublesome. Why, when he just wanted to relax and take it easy, did things have to come up? A presence like Gaara's was hard to ignore and he became even more uneasy as it seemed to loom right over him. He could feel those pale green eyes staring. Sitting up, Shikamaru eyed the strange boy who stood only a few feet from him. The long grass rustled gently from a breeze, but that had no effect on the growing tension.

"Hey..."

"...you look like you want to kill me."

"Not kill. Maybe just hurt a bit." Gaara's eyes widened and his sand exploded from the large double-barreled gourd strapped to his back, flying rapidly at Shikamaru. The latter rose quickly from his spot, just barely dodging a direct hit. He winced, glancing down at his sand-burned arm. It'd felt like a hundred or so tiny razors had just tried to cut it off. Oh great, he's serious, Shikamaru thought, looking back to Gaara. The other was still staring in silent jealousy, but to Shikamaru, it looked like contempt. The attack came a second time, and again Shikamaru managed to dodge it, but with a less success.

"Ngh!" Shikamaru held to his burning arm, a little blood trickling from it. He'd seen Gaara's power before at the Chuunin exam. If he had wanted to kill him, it would have been done well before now. The dark haired chuunin stared back at his opponent with narrowed, contemplative eyes. Was he just toying with him?

"Why did Temari stay here?"

Shikamaru blinked, the intensity of his face disappearing in surprise. Temari? Was she the reason for this assault? It seemed odd since she stayed here of her own will. So why...? He couldn't possibly think...

"Hey, you think it was my fault?" Gaara kept his silence. Shikamaru kept his focus. It would make sense, he supposed, but she should have returned by now. It wasn't that long after them that she left either. Shikamaru's eyes narrowed into a squint, his mind trying to wrap around the idea of Gaara attacking him because Temari had remained in Konoha for a few days longer. Was Gaara that type of person? Did he value that girl this much? What kind of relatio-

"PAY ATTENTION STUPID!" A loud, boyish kind of voice bellowed out from behind Shikamaru before he was knocked aside, a strong gust of wind cutting back the sand aimed for him.

"Nnm!" Shikamaru blinked a few times with wide eyes as a figure in black stood before him, letting her fan rest on the grass a moment.

"Gaara! What do you think you're doing! Do you really want Konoha to distrust us after we worked hard to build their alliance!" Temari's face was slightly flushed in anger, her grip on the fan was tighter than usual. Kankuro came up to them then, standing closer to Gaara's side. Looking between the two of them, it was best not to interfere. Especially with Temari that upset.

The sand began to recede slowly, returning to the gourd and Gaara's eyes lowering to the grass. He'd never seen Temari make that face at him. Nor had he considered the fact that he was endangering relations between their villages.

"...Tell me the truth, Temari."

"What?" Her angered face eased slightly.

"Why did you stay? Was it him?"

"...W-why are you asking me that? Didn't I tell you a few days bef-"

"You didn't tell me everything. You never lied to me before, Temari..."

She didn't know how to respond to that. A rustle in the grass behind her made her glance back to see Shikamaru standing to his feet and dusting off. She looked away from him quickly, her eyes lowered. It'd been a while since she saw him last...and she wasn't feeling quite the same way then as she did now.

"Geez, this is such a troublesome thing, but I've got a code to keep." Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head and sighed. "Just leave her alone. It's really troublesome for her if you keep asking questions and she doesn't want to answer."

Temari's eyes went wide and she turned to look at Shikamaru. He...he had stood up for her? Gaara was staring at the chuunin again, but no emotion could be read on his face. Kankuro swallowed. If Gaara became provoked enough to attack again, there was little he nor Temari could do about it.

"Tch, a lazy guy like me shouldn't do these things...I just wanted to relax and sleep all day, then this happened..." Shikamaru began to mumble to himself, crossing his arms. Temari couldn't take her eyes off him. He'd defended her. Was it possible that maybe he felt the way she did...? She didn't realize it, but there was a certain glow in her eyes then.

Gaara picked up on it immediately, his face darkening a bit. He understood. This was why she couldn't make that promise...and even though his attention-deprived jealousy was rearing on him, he closed his eyes and turned away.

"I see now." He glanced over at Kankuro, who was still staring at Temari's face. She was making it a little bit too obvious, although Shikamaru didn't seem to notice a thing.

"Temari...don't stay too long this time." She snapped out of the trance hearing Gaara's voice call back at her, and looked over at him just soon enough to see him and Kankuro depart. She stared at the spot she last saw them in wonder. Neither had put up much of a fight to make her speak. Her thoughts went back to Shikamaru's words and she suddenly blushed, turning around to hide it. Her face! It had been blatantly written all over that she liked him. Only someone very dense wouldn't notice.

With that in mind...Shikamaru had seen it too. She felt a heat rush to her head. Did he know how she felt now? A breeze blew against her face and she made a fist with her free hand, the other tightening on her fan. If...he knew...She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and exhaled, turning to face him again.

"I guess...you know everything now, Shikama-ah?" Her eyes widened then narrowed. Shikamaru was lying on his back, hands behind his head and watching the sky as if nothing had happened. She twitched.

"Hm?" Shikamaru glanced over at her cluelessly. "Were you saying something?"

"Y-you...you...!" She closed her eyes, forcefully holding down her anger and set her fan aside, sitting down beside Shikamaru.

"...you're impossible."

Shikamaru smirked, closing his eyes. The grass rustled a bit beside him and he opened his eyes, turning to see Temari laying beside him, her expression calm and watching the clouds float above. He blinked a couple times, surprised she could suppress her anger so quickly. She didn't seem the type to do so. But then again, girls were full of surprises. That's what made them so troublesome.

"Hey..."

"...Hm?"

"You should hit me or something." Temari raised a brow.

"Why?"

"Keeping your anger pent up like that isn't healthy." She smiled a bit, glancing over at him.

"Ohh? You're concerned about me? That makes it twice today." Shikamaru snuffed a little and closed his eyes, turning his face to the sky.

"I don't mind I guess."

Temari smiled a bit more. "Really?"

"Yeah..."

"...Shikamaru...?"

"Nm?"

"...Thanks."

End.

* * *

Ahh hope that wasn't a crappy ending. I didn't want to push this story into utter mush, sothis is how it turned out. Hope no one is too disappointed ;;. Alas! I shall be writing more with these two in the near future (although it'll probably be short stories) andseeing how their relationship grows. Keep watch for them! 

And thanks so very much for sticking with me until the end. Again, I'm sorry for the long wait and hope you read my work again soon. X3 Kurogamo.


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